Sleep medicine experts say five substances people regularly consume can have a negative effect on sleep quality and duration.

Caffeine, alcohol, sugar, saturated fat, and spicy foods are the main diet-related culprits involved in poor sleep, experts say.

1. Caffeine is arguably the biggest culprit when it comes to poor sleep. First, it’s a stimulant—hello! Plus, research shows that caffeine suppresses melatonin production and blocks receptors for a chemical called adenosine, which induces sleepiness—both of which can negatively affect sleep quality and quantity.
2. Many people think alcohol will help them sleep, but while it may help you fall asleep faster, the quality of sleep is going to be lower—disrupting your sleep later in the night.
3. Diets higher in sugar, simple carb, and saturated fat cause lighter and less restorative sleep with more middle-of-the-night awakenings.
4. Finally, spicy food makes it harder to fall asleep and reduces the overall quantity of sleep. In addition, fiery foods bump up your core body temperature—which ordinarily dips by several degrees at night—and hinders sleep.

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